Mano turned slowly in his seat. “What do you know?”
Ody didn’t look at him. “You said not to talk about it.”
“Tell me.”
Ody glanced at him. “You slept with another girl while you were still with her. There’s proof.”
Mano exhaled. So Katerina had told Anna. And Anna had told him. Of course.
“Looks like we’re here,” Ody said as he pulled up in front of an apartment building. “This is where you live?”
“Yeah.” Mano reached for the handle.
“Go to a pharmacy for your hand. They’ll know what to give you.”
Mano stepped out, helmet in hand.
“I’ll be here tomorrow at eleven,” Ody said, one hand resting on the steering wheel. “Don’t be late.”
“Go to hell.” He slammed the door.
Ody watched him unlock the building’s front door and slip inside before driving off. Back on campus, he slipped into the lecture hall late. The professor gave him a sharp look but kept lecturing.
Steve lifted a hand subtly to signal him over. “Where the hell were you?” he whispered.
“Overslept?” Chris added.
“I’ll explain later. Where are we?”
After class, the three of them stepped outside.
“So?” Steve said. “Why were you late?”
Ody told them what had happened. “Can you guys come an hour earlier tomorrow? Keep me company?”
“You want me to wake up earlier because some guy punched someone and can’t drive?” Steve groaned.
“Come on. We’ll grab coffee.”
He sighed. “Fine.”
Ody headed home after class. Later that evening, Anna called.
“Hey, baby. What are you doing?” she asked.
“Just got home. You?”
“Want me to come over?”
A small smile tugged at his lips. “Do you even have to ask?”
“I’m on my way.”
When she arrived, he told her about the fight and that he’d be driving Mano to class the next day.
“Oh, my sweet boy,” she said, kissing him. “You always want to save everyone. Remember that time you walked that lost girl across town because she couldn’t find her way? My feet were killing me,” she laughed.
“She looked completely lost. I couldn’t just leave her.”
